Safety-brake.



J. BAUER.

SAFETY BRAKE. APPLIOATIOH IILIBD AUG. 7, 1912.

1,1 1 6 ,546, Patented Nov. 10, 1914,

JOSEPH BAUER, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

SAFETY-BRAKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

Application filed August 7, 1912. Serial No. 713,919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Josnrrr BAUER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, county of Alameda, State of California, have inventedia new and useful Safety- Brake for Automobiles. This invention relates to automobile brakes of the emergency type and has as its principal object the construction of such a device which is used only in extreme emergencies, but which will then stop a car in a few feet of space.

With this object in view my invention consists of several drags or prongs which are adapted to engage the road surface and by digging into the same arrest the progress of the car.

The method by which such objects are accomplished will. be understood from the following drawing and the attached specification wherein: 1

Figure 1 is a view in plan of the rear part of an automobile chassis. Fig. 2 is a View in side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation with the difierential and axle broken away. Fig. i is an enlarged plan view of the mechanism for applying and re leasing the brake. Fi g. 5 is an enlarged view of a retaining hook.

Denoting corresponding parts by numerals, 1 and 2 are the side frame members from which is spring supported the rear axle 3 carrying the differential, the case of which is indicated at A shaft 5 leads tothe engine which is not here shown. Mountedon this shaft is a friction wheel 6 adapted to engage a friction disk 7 whereon is a tooth gear 8. This gear and disk are mounted on a short shaft 9 which in turn is journaled in bearing hangers 10, which latter are supported from a shaft 11. This shaft is in turn rigidly supported in brackets 13 on the side bars 1 and 2. Shaft 9 is prevented from moving about shaft 11 as a center by means of the brace rod 12. This shaft is attached at one end to a bar 1-1 which also serves tosupport certain foot levers hereinafter described and is carried by the frame members 1 and 2. The other end of the shaft is connected to one of the hangers 10. The gear 8 is provided with a hub 15 having therein a groove 16 which receives the forked end of the shipper lever 17. This lever is pivoted on the brace rod 12 as at 18, and has its other end pivotally connected to a rod 19. The latter is in turn connected to a foot lever 20 which is pivotally connected on the shaft 14. (llamped on the rear axle are certain brackets 2.1, having pivotally attached theretothc forked brake bars 22. These bars are connected by a rod 23 and are so proportioned that when in their active positionthe tips reach below the tread of the tire as shown in Fig. 2. y In order to prevent these brake bars from being pulled back farther than a perpendicular position links 2-1 are pivotally at tached thereto at the same point as the rod 2.. The opposite ends of these links are journaled on a shaft 25 which in turn is connected to a plunger 26. This plunger is mounted ina bracket 28 and extends into a cylinder 27 having an air chamber which serves to cushion the rearward movement of the plunger 26.

livotally mounted on the shaft 25 is a rearwardly extending bar 29 having rack teeth out on its underside which mesh with the gear 8. The rack is held in engagement with the said gear by a grooved wheel 30 mounted on shaft 11. The brake bars are held in a raised position by pivotally mounted hook member-s33 which are keyed. to a shaft 34L. This shaft is journaled in brackets 38 attached to the side frame 1nemhers and haskcyed intermediate its length a lever arm 37. This arm is connected by rod 35 to a foot lever 36 mounted on the shaft 14.

In case of a great emergency where a very short stop must be made the lever 36 is pressed which through rod 35 and arm 37 rotates shaft 34-. and thus draws the hooks from under bar 23. and brake members to drop until the points of said members contact with the roadway. The sharp points then dig into the surface and as the car moves forward its rear end is lifted entirely from the ground. As the bar falls it pulls back the plunger 26 which thus compresses the air in cylinder 27 and somewhat cushions the To release the brakes the engine is started and lever 20 manipulated to throw the disk 7 against the friction wheel 6. This causes the pinion 8 to move the rack bar forward thus pulling on the links 24 and raising the member until it is caught by the hooks There has thus been provided a simple and eliicient device of the kind described and of the character specified.

It is obvious that many minor changes may be madein the form and construction This allows the bar in said cylinder and of this invention without departing from the material principles thereof. It is not therefore desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is wished to include all such as come properly Within the scope claimed.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed, is:

1. An emergency brake for motor driven vehicles of the character described compris ing in combination with the supporting frame and rear wheels of the vehicle, fork brake bars coupled with each other andsecured to brackets upon the rear axle of the vehicle, hooks pivotally secured to a shaft of the vehicle frame, adapted to normally hold said bars in their position of rest above the road, an operating lever adapted to be operated by the foot of the vehicle driver, a rod actuated by said lever for moving said hooks from underneath said bar for simultaneously and instantaneously releasing said brake levers in cases'of emergency, and a compressed air cylinder, a plunger working straight bar upon its release from said hook for absorbing the shock of the sudden brak ing action, and means operable by continued forward movement of the vehicle for returning said brake bars after their engagement with the road into their position of rest above said hooks, substantially as described.

operated by said I 2. An emergency brakefor motor driven vehicles of the character described comprising in combination with the supporting frame and rear wheels of the vehicle, fork brake bars coupled with each other and secured to brackets upon vehicle, hooks pivotally secured to a shaft of the vehicle frame, adapted to normally hold said bars in their position of rest above the road, an operating lever adapted to be operated by the foot of the vehicle driver, a rod actuated by'said lever for moving said hooks from underneath said bar for simultaneously and instantaneously releasing said brake levers in cases of emergency, a compressed air cylinder, a plunger working in said cylinder operated by said brake bar upon release from said hooks for absorbing the shock of the sudden braking action, a shaft connected to said plunger, a bar pivoted to said shaft and provided with a rack, a pinion meshing with said rack, a link connecting said brake bar with said plunger and adapted to be operated by said rack and pinion for carrying said bar into engagement with said hooks, and means for releasably connecting said motor, substantially as described.

JOSEPH BAUER.

Witnesses FRED MICHELS, WM. H. HARDY.

Copies of. this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of intents,

Washington, D. O.

the rear axle of the 

